Digital Cameras Guide

Design

A Light Touch

When the IXUS label is slapped onto a Canon camera, you'll be expecting a light, slim and simple compact, right? Well, right you are. The IXUS 200 IS measures in at a mere 100 x 53 x 23mm, and weighs no more than 150g (with battery). These specifications conform to the compact image that the IXUS line has been projecting over the years.

As for aesthetics, the IXUS 200 IS is just as capable in that department. Many a times, we noticed how our colleagues stole glances to check out the device's sleek and stylish design. It manages to have a solid build despite its petite nature, leaving no doubt that you're still in the presence of a reliable, well-made compact camera.

As mentioned, the IXUS 200 IS is designed to be a simple camera. This is duly reflected in its controls. On the top, you'll only notice three specific modes to choose from: Auto, Scenes and Movies. Chances are, you'll be using its Auto mode full-time, but a slight degree of customization is still available with the Scenes mode. Movie mode will obviously give you access to 720p video recording.

Minimal buttons are present on the main body, with two prominent buttons for Playback and Menu. What lies in between, is something which we appreciate - a five-way navigation pad which also doubles up as a scroll wheel. The flexibility to alternate your navigation choice makes the IXUS 200 IS that much easier to use. At times, we preferred to utilize the scroll wheel to flip through the menus or images at a faster rate. If you need to be more precise with your selection, then swapping over to the directional pad gives you finer control.

Next, we focus upon the 3-inch LCD display that occupies the bulk of the rear. With the generous display in mind, we became more forgiving towards the small scroll wheel / navigation pad that sits right beside it. After all, there is only so much space on a compact camera to accommodate both the display and the navigation pad. A bit of sacrifice is hence required to keep the device in line with its petite nature. Besides, with a touchscreen LCD display, some functions can be activated directly onscreen; we highlight more on this over the next couple of pages.